Blade mounting means



Nov. 6, 1962 L. M. HILL BLADE MOUNTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June13, 1960 brill 1 x i INVENTOR Les fer M M'// .--J v wzb mfi iuwwL' C 3ATTORNEYS L. M. HILL BLADE MOUNTING MEANS Nov. 6, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 13, 1960 INVENTOR Z e sfer M #17/ v ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1962 M.HILL BLADE MOUNTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 13, 1960 mvmonZesfer M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,061,867 BLADE MOUNTIl\lG MEANSLester M. Hill, Beloit, Wis, assignor to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis,a corporation of Wisconsin Filed June 13, 1960, Ser. No. 35,496 8Claims. (Cl. 15-45651) The present invention relates broadly to blademounting means, and is more particularly concerned with an adjustableblade holder assembly of rugged construction characterized by relativelyfew parts which can be readily assembled and disassembled, whileadditionally being accurately and rapidly adjusted to both advance andretract a blade relative to a surface to be scraped.

It is an important aim of the present invention to provide a bladeholder assembly having as one main feature thereof a simplified slideassembly connected to a scraper blade and providing movement of theblade in opposite transverse directions or along opposed paths atgenerally a right angle to the scraping edge of the blade.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of bladeadjustment and mounting means having divers uses and productive ofespecially satisfactory results in connection with any rotating surfacerequiring a cleaning action to be performed thereon or on whichsmoothing of an applied coating is the function to be accomplished.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide blade mountingmeans of the character in which a scraper blade is transverselyadjustable relative to a rotating surface, and in which the adjustmentmeans is readily accessible to an operator and movement thereof does notsubstantially affect the angle which the blade makes with the rotatablesurface.

A further object of this invention lies in the provision of anadjustable doctor blade holder permitting accomplishment of bladechanges without entirely dismantling the supporting structure, andwherein the blade is supported along its entire length on a plurality oftransversely spaced lines so that there is no buckling, tipping orcanting of the blade.

An even further object of this invention is to provide an adjustableblade holder assembly, embodying mounting means for positioning adjacenta surface to be scraped and having a passage formed therethrough, ablade holder in said passage, means on the blade holder providing afirst engaging surface, a slidable member in said passage, means on theslidable member defining a second engaging surface, and means for movingthe slidable member longitudinally in said passage with said first andsecond surfaces in engagement, to move said engaging surfaces relativeto one another and slide the blade holder transversely in said passagetoward and away from the surface to be scraped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description, particularly when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughoutthe same:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view, with parts thereof taken insection, and illustrative of blade mounting means constructed inaccordance with the principles of this invention supported by suitablestructure in adjacency to a surface to be scraped;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away, showingthe blade mounting means of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are detail sectional views illustrating essentiallyexemplary forms of camming surfaces employed on the slide member andblade holder of FIG- URES l and 2 to efiect adjustment of the scraperblade;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line VV of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 6 and 7 are fragmentary top plan views particularly illustratingthe relative position of the scraper blade and relative location of thecamming surfaces of FIGURES 3 and 4 during movement of the slide memberof the preceding views.

The instant invention finds especially advantageous applications in thepaper making art, and particularly in association with rotatablesurfaces exemplified by platen rolls in coating apparatus, dryer drums,and press and calender rolls. Doctor blades provided with the adjustablemounting means of this invention may typically be employed to smoothand/ or remove excess coating material, and in the other mentionedapplications the doctor or scraper performs a cleaning function.However, it will be apparent as the description proceeds that the papermaking art does not constitute the sole environment for this invention,and blades or scrapers may be mounted and adjusted in the manner hereindisclosed in various applications other than those mentioned.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, an adjustable blade holder assemblyconstructed in accordance with the principles of this invention isdesignated generally by the numeral 1i) and may be seen to be positionedin adjacency to a rotatable surface 11, illustratively taking the formof any drum or cylinder employed on or off a paper machine. The bladeholder assembly 10 generally comprises upper and lower plate members 12and 13 secured one to the other by longitudinally spaced screw means orthe like 14, and to facilitate detachment of the upper plate member 12from the lower plate member 13, the plate member-12 may have keyholeslots 15 formed therein.

Doctor blade structures are generally mounted for pivotal movement withrespect to the rotatable surface, and in the instant arrangement thelower plate member 13 may connect to or be integral with a bracketmember 16, which through bolt means or the like 17, is connected tostructure, generally indicated at 18 and swingable about pivot means 19.The structure 18 may swing relative to the pivot means 19, or the member19 may be a rod or pipe which co-rotates with the structure 18, but inany event, swinging movement of the structure 18 effects correspondingmovement of a doctor blade 20 relative to the rotatable surface 11.

Effective securement of the upper and lower plate members 12 and 13 toone another is accomplished by the noted screw means or the like 14, andto guide the upper plate member 12 when it is slid or moved along thelower plate member during assembly or disassembly, as well as to abetthe action of the screw means 14 in preventing relative transversemovement of the plate members 12 and 13, said members may be notched andgrooved in the manner of FIGURE 1. As shown therein, the upper platemember 12 may carry ribs 21 and 22 along the lower rear and frontsurfaces thereof engageable respectively with a groove 23 in the upperrear surface of the plate member 13 and with an intermediate abutmentshoulder 24 on the lower plate member 13. To guide the doctor blade 20,on the other hand, the forward ends of the upper and lower plate members12 and 13 are shaped to provide downwardly and upwardly turned lipportions 25 and 26, respectively, which are desirably slightly spaced asat 27 to prevent binding of the doctor blade 26. However, the plate lipportions 25 and 26 are sufficiently close so that the blade 20 will besupported intermediate its opposite ends in the event the blade shouldcontact a foreign object on the roll surface 11. In this connection, itis desired to note that the upper and lower blade surfaces are preciselyparallel, and that the blade in effect nests in holder assembly hereinprovided. The blade 29 is not clamped, however, the space 27 is oflimited depth to prevent buckling of the blade.

The lower surface of the upper plate member 12 and the upper surface ofthe lower plate member 13 are machined or otherwise formed to provideupon assembly a bore or passage 28 extending entirely therethrough. Thebore or passage 23 guides and houses an adjustable blade holdermechanism generally designated by the numeral 29, and comprising a bladeholder 39 cooperating with a slide member 31 and transversely adjustedthereby upon longitudinal movement of the slide member. The transverselymovable blade holder 31 is desirably provided by a slidable lowerportion 32 and a connecting upper portion 33 secured one to the other byattaching means 34. The slidable lower portion 32 may be formed with aninclined or tapered frontal surface 32a and a similarly formed surface33a may be provided on the connecting upper portion 33 of thetransversely adjustable blade holder 30. It may be noted from FIGURE 1that the blade 29 is provided adjacent its rear marginal portion with anembossed or semi-punched portion 35 received in a longitudinailyextending slot or groove 33b in the lower surface of the blade holderportion 33 to effectively retain the blade as well as facilitating itsretraction. As will be described more fully hereinafter, thetransversely movable blade holder 38 is guided by pin means 36 fixed inthe lower plate member 13 and receivable in a transversely extendinggroove 37 (FIGURE 2) in the lower surface of the slidable lower portion32 of the blade holder assembly 39. As appears in FIGURE 1, access tothe pin means 36 is obtained from the underside of the plate member 13.

In order to eifect transverse movement of the blade holder 36 to advanceor retract the blade 20, the slidable lower portion 32 of the bladeholder mounts a plurality of longitudinally spaced retainer members 38each receiving in press fitting contact a serrated block member 39.

5) extending beyond the upper and lower plate members 12 and 13 at oneend thereof. The extended end portion 31b of the longitudinally slidableplate member 31 is apertured to receive pin means 43 connecting theslide end portion 31b to a bifurcated end portion 44a on bolt means 44.The opposite end of the bolt means 44 is threadably received in adownwardly turned flanged portion 45a welded or otherwise secured to abracket member 45 presenting a generally triangular configuration inplan and suitably secured to the upper plate member 12. The bracketmeans 45 is apertured to 45b to provide access to the pin means 43connecting the slide member 31 to the bolt 44, and the bracket means 45may be rigidified by webs 45c. As appears in FIGURE 5, the bolt means 44The retainer members 38 are attached to the slidable lower blocks orcarnming surfaces 39 will be later described, and

while a press fit between the block shank 39a and aperture 38a in theretainer 33 is generally suflicient, key means or the like may beemployed to efiect a more rigid connection.

The longitudinally movable slide member 31 may take the form of anelongated strip or bar positioned as shown in FIGURE 1 and guided duringinward and outward travel by surfaces 28a and 231') formed by the bore28 in the lower surface of the upper plate member 12. The slide member31 mounts at a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations along itslower surface serrated block members 41, shown in detail in FIGURE 3.Each serrated block member is formed with a shank portion 410 receivablein an aperture 31a in the slide member, and to make slidable cammingengagement with the serrated block 39 in the retainers 38 on theslidable lower portion 32 of the blade holder assembly 30, the serratedblocks on the slide member 31 are cut or otherwise formed with aplurality of spaced parallel teeth 4111 received in the grooves 390 inthe lower blocks 39, the teeth 41b defining therebetween a plurality ofspaced parallel grooves 41c receiving the teeth 3% on the lower block39. The shank portions 41a on the upper serrated blocks 41 are press fitinto the openings 31a in the slide bar 31, and to effect a more secureattachment, key or pin means 42 can be utilized.

The longitudinally slidable member 31 is of a length sufiicient toprovide an end portion 31b (FIGURES 2 and mounts nut means 46a and 46bat opposite sides of the bracket flange 45a.

The serrated blocks 39 and 41 on the transversely movable blade holder30 and longitudinally movable slide member 3 1, respectively, provideeffective means for advancing or retracting the doctor blade 20 inresponse to a forward or rearward adjustment of the bolt means 44,although it is believed readily apparent that other forms of engagingsurfaces may be employed to adjustably move the blade 21 with respect tothe rotatable surface 11. It is important to note that the adjustableblade holder assembly of this invention provides transverse movement ofthe blade 21} in opposite directions, as contrasted with certain priorart devices in which the blade can be advanced forwardly only, andthereby a more precise adjustment of the blade 20 with respect to thesurface 11 is obtained.

In this connection, it is known that for fully efiective use doctorblades must precisely conform to the surface being doctored. Thisrequires that the setting angle, which is usually measured from thetangent at or the radius through the point of contact, be exact at everypoint along the doctored surface. As well, it is imperative that theloading forces be also uniform entirely along the blade. Theserequirements, and others have made previous attempts to provideadjustment generally unsuccessful simply because the necessary accuracycould not be produced. However, by provision of the serrated blocks 39and 41, an extremely high order of accuracy is obtained, and therebyuniform conformity and loading entirely along the blade results.

The disclosed arrangement of serrated blocks 39 and 41, althoughsusceptible of variations, has the further important advantages ofaccurately advancing and retracting the blade 20 with a minimum ofapplied force, and variation of the block settings to provide variablepredetermined ranges of blade movement relative to the plae members 12and 13. To explain, the angular relation of the blocks 39 and 41 withrespect to the longitudinal centerline of the slide member 31 isestablished by first setting the block members 41 at the desired angleon the slide member 31 by suitable gauge means when the slide member 31is removed from the assembly 10. This angle will of course depend inpart upon the width of the doctor blade 20, and illustratively if a newdoctor blade is being used, the block angle can be relatively less andthe extent of the angle would be only that required to translate thelongitudinally applied force on the slide member 31 to sutficienttransverse movement of the blade holder 30 for accurate adjustment ofthe blade 20 as the scraping edge thereon becomes worn.

After the angle of each block member 41 on the slide member 31 isestablished by gauge means and all blocks 41 set to the same angle andfixed by key means or the like 42, the retainer members 38 are looselyattached to the slidable lower portion 32 of the blade holder 30 and theserrated block members 39 seated in place, it of course beingappreciated that in the adjustment operation the upper plate member 12is removed. The slide member 31 with the serrated blocks 41 fixedthereon at the predetermined common angle is then set upon the bladeholder 30, with the block members 41 on the slide 31 meshing with theserrated blocks 39 in the retainers 38. By relative longitudinalmovement of the slide 31 with respect to the blade holder lower portion,the mating blocks 39 and 41 are aligned in the manner of FIGURES 2, 6and 7. The screw means 40 in the retainers 38 are then tightened and theblocks 39 forced downwardly against the retainers 38 in press fittingrelation therewith. As noted, key means or the like could be employed ifdesired to assure that the block members 39 will not rotate, however,the press fit is generally sufiicient.

To advance the doctor blade 20 forwardly into contact with the rotatablesurface 11 as shown in FIGURE 1, the nut means 461) is threaded to theright as viewed in FIGURE 5 and a turning force applied to the nut means46a. Prior to application of the turning force on the nut 46a, it may beassumed that the serrated blocks 41 on the slide member 31 arepositioned relative to the serrated blocks 39 on the blade holder 30generally as appears in FIGURE 6. As shown therein, the teeth 41b on theserrated blocks 41 are engaged in the grooves 39c on the serrated blocks39, and the blocks 41 overlie the blocks 39 to approximately one-half ofthe length of the blocks 39 and 41, although this is of courseillustrative only. In any event, the blocks 39 and 41 are in meshingslidable engagement, and when a turning force is applied to the nutmeans 4611, the serrated blocks 41 on the slide member 31 move generallylongitudinally and by their engagement with the serrated blocks 39, theapplied longitudinal force on the slide member 31 is translated to atransversely directed force as the blocks 41 advance along the blocks39, causing the blade 20 to advance outwardly between the plate members12 and 13, in generally the manner shown in FIGURE 7. As the blockmembers 39 and 41 move in meshing engagement from the position of FIGURE6 to that shown in FIG- URE 7, the pin means 36 in the lower blockmember 13 travels in the elongated slot 37 in the lower surface of theblade holder portion 32 to guide the blade holder assembly 30 forwardly,thereby effecting advancement of the doctor blade 20. When the doctorblade 20 has been advanced in the manner described into contact with therotatable surface 11, the nut means 46b is threaded to the left inFIGURE 5 against the flange means 45a to fix the position of adjustmentof the slide member 31 and the corresponding position of the blade 20against the surface 11. Of course, to retract the blade 20, thedescribed adjustment action is reversed, and the blocks 39 and 41 wouldthen move from generally the position of FIGURE 7 to that shown inFIGURE 6.

It will be observed from the foregoing that applicant has provided anadjustable blade holder assembly wherein the blade holder 30 and blade20 retained therebetween may rapidly, reliably and accurately be bothadvanced and retracted. Although the blade essentially rests between thenose portions 25 and 26 and clamping forces are thereby not exerted onthe blade, the embossment 35 retains the blade in its indicated positionin the blade holder, as well as facilitating retraction. Further, theblade 20 is restrained against buckling by the relatively closerelationship of the lip portions 25 and 26 of the plate means 12 and 13,and yet, sufficient spacing is provided so that the blade 20 may beeasily moved in opposite transverse directions.

It is to be further observed that the blade 20 may be rapidly changedwhen required by relieving the contact loading and withdrawing the bladelongitudinally from the slot 35. It is not necessary that the bladeholder assembly be removed from its supporting structure 18, andaccordingly, such blade changes as may be required can be very rapidlyeffected. As well, the entire blade holder and slide assembly 29 can beslid longitudinally from between the plate members 12 and 13 merely byremoving the pin means 36 and 43. Transverse adjustment of the blade 20to advance or retract the same has no effect upon the angle which theblade 20 makes with the rotating cylinder 11, and as well, the boltmeans 44 is located conveniently and in a readily accessible positionfor movement by the operator. The instant adjustable blade holderassembly 14} has divers applications with any rotating surface, whetherthe objective to be performed is cleaning of the surface or smoothing ofthe coating on a web wrapped upon said surface. The assembly 10 canreadily be observed to be of rugged construction and characterized byrelatively few parts which can be readily assembled and disassembled,while additionally being rapidly and accurately adjusted.

It is further to be pointed out that if the slide member 3-1 has beenadjusted to its point of full, safe longitudinal travel, and the blade20 is functioning properly except for requiring additional advancement,the following adjustments can be made so that the same blade cancontinue to be used. The screw means 14 are loosened and the serratedmembers 39 and 41 are disengaged, followed by loosening of the nut means46a and actuating the slide member 31 to its approximate startingposition. The block member 12 is then replaced and screwed in position.The teeth on the serrated member 39 will have progressed transversely inthe mating grooves in the member 41, so that blade wear can continue aslong as there is mating engagement between the members 39 and 41.

It has been noted hereinabove that the engaging or camming surfaces 39and 41 on the blade holder portion 32 and slide member 31 can beprovided by means other than the disclosed serrated block construction,and accordingly, it is believed readily apparent that various changesand modifications can be effected in the instant structure withoutdeparting from the novel concepts of the present invention as set forthin the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An adjustable blade holder assembly, comprising mounting means forpositioning adjacent a surface to be scraped and having a passage formedtherethrough, a blade holder slidable in opposite transverse directionsin said passage, a blade received in said blade holder and supportedthereby, means on said blade holder providing a first engaging surface,a slidable member in said passage, means on said slidable memberdefining a second engaging surface, and means for moving said slidablemember longitudinally in said passage with said first and secondsurfaces in angular engagement to move said engaging surfaces relativeto one another and slide the blade holder transversely in said passagetoward and away from the surface to be scraped.

2. An adjustable blade holder assembly, comprising mounting means forpositioning adjacent a surface to be scraped and having a passage formedtherethrough, a blade holder slidable in opposite transverse directionsin said passage, a blade received in said blade holder and supportedthereby, means on said blade holder providing a first toothed surface, aslidable member in said passage, means on said slidable member defininga second toothed surface, and means for moving said slidable memberlongitudinally in said passage with said first and second toothedsurfaces in meshing angular engagement to slide said toothed surfacesrelative to one another and move the blade holder transversely in saidpassage toward and away from the surface to be scraped.

3. An adjustable blade holder assembly, comprising mounting means forpositioning adjacent a surface to be scraped and having a passage formedtherethrough to provide within said mounting means top and bottomsurfaces defining the upper and lower limits of said passage, a bladeholder and slidable member located in said passage in meshing angularengagement one with the other, and means for moving said slidable memberlongitudinally in contact with the top surface of said passage to slidethe blade holder transversely in engagement with the bottom surface ofsaid passage toward and away from the surface to be scraped.

4. An adjustable blade holder assembly, comprising mounting means forpositioning adjacent a surface to be scraped and having a passage formedtherethrough, a blade holder slidable in opposite transverse directionsin said passage, said blade holder including a pair of superimposedplate portions in said passage defining a registering surfacetherebetween, a blade engaged by said blade holder portions along amarginal edge of said blade and extending outwardly from said passage inthe mounting means, means on one of said blade holder portions providinga first toothed surface, a slidable member in said passage, means onsaid slidable member defining a second toothed surface, and means formoving said slidable member longitudinally in said passage with saidfirst and second toothed surfaces in meshing angular engagement to slidesaid toothed surfaces relative to one another and move the blade holdertransversely in said passage toward and away from the surface to bescraped.

5. An adjustable blade holder assembly, comprising a pair of platemembers positioned adjacent a surface to be scraped and grooved toprovide a longitudinally extending-passage therethrough, a blade holderslidable in opposite transverse directions in said passage, a bladereceived in said blade holder and supported thereby, a plurality oftoothed surfaces on said blade holder, a slidable member in saidpassage, a plurality of toothed surfaces on said slide member engageablewith the toothed surfaces on the blade holder, and means for moving saidslidable member longitudinally in said passage with the toothed surfaceson the blade holder and slide member in angular engagement to slide saidtoothed surfaces relative to one another and move the blade holdertransversely in said passage toward and away from the surface to bescraped.

6. An adjustable blade holder assembly, comprising a pair of platemembers positioned adjacent a surface to be scraped and grooved toprovide a longitudinally extending passage therethrough, a blade holderin said passage, a plurality of serrated blocks seated in an uprightposition on said blade holder, a slidable member in said passage, aplurality of serrated blocks seated in said slide member and dependingtherefrom in engagement with the blocks on the blade holder, and meansfor moving said slidable member longitudinally in said passage with theserrated blocks on the blade holder and on the slide member in angularengagement to slide said serrated blocks relative to one another andmove the blade holder transversely in said passage toward and away fromthe surface to be scraped.

7. An adjustable blade holder assembly, comprising a pair of platemembers positioned adjacent a surface to be scraped and grooved toprovide a longitudinally extending passage therethorugh, a blade holderin said passage, a plurality of serrated blocks seated in an uprightposition on said blade holder, a slidable member in said passage, aplurality of serrated blocks seated in said slide member and dependingtherefrom in engagement with the blocks on the blade holder, theserrated blocks on the blade holder and on the slide member beingdisposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal centerline of saidslide member, cooperating guide means on the mounting means and on theblade holder guiding said holder during transverse movement thereof, andmeans for moving said slidable member longitudinally in said passagewith the serrated blocks on the blade holder and on the slide member inengagement to slide said serrated blocks relative to one another andmove the blade holder transversely in said passage toward and away fromthe surface to be scraped.

8. Means for advancing and retracting a blade relative to a surface tobe scraped, comprising a blade holder for supporting a blade, aplurality of adjustably fixed camming surfaces on said blade holder, aslide member, and a plurality of conjugated camming surfaces on saidslide member engageable with the camming surfaces on the blade holder,said slide member when actuated being effective to move the blade holderby action of the cooperating camming surfaces to adjust the blade inopposite transverse directions relative to the surface to be scraped.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,758,423 Basinger May 13, 1930 1,892,214 Lodding Dec. 27, 19322,117,032 Lodding May 10, 1938 2,929,091 Freytag Mar. 22, 1960

